We are the architects or our own destiny. We are free beings and have to make choices. Happiness is a decision that I have to make.
Many of us have been brought up to believe that happiness is some utopia that can be reached only when the next goal has been achieved. We think, when I leave school and stop studying, then I will be happy, or when I get that job, then I will be happy. It is all wishful thinking or a tantalising promise of the future. There is always a self-imposed condition to be fulfilled first. Or, if we are the kind of person who always lives in the past, instead of always thinking the future will bring us happiness, then we spend time reminiscing, and remembering moments of joy when some temporary attainment was realised. In fact, happiness can only really happen in the present, in the now.
So where does happiness really come from? It can only come from within and it is a choice that we make, a choice to be happy now, that then determines my destiny. Very few people understand that our happiness is our own responsibility. When we take responsibility for choosing what we think, we realise how that impacts on what we feel. Our feelings, in turn, are reflected in our attitude, which has a direct bearing on how we relate to others. It is not so difficult to see how our lives could be so different, and be as we wish them to be, all depending on the thoughts we choose. We must not underestimate the power of thought. Dr Masaru Emoto conducted research into the impact of the quality of thought on water. Water that had been surrounded by beautiful, powerful, benevolent thoughts, then frozen, took the shape of astoundingly beautiful crystals. Water surrounded by negative thought patterns revealed dull and ugly crystals, when frozen. The world is only what I think it is. Rene Descartes said: “We don’t describe the world that we see, we see the world we can describe”. It is the way I choose to see what life is presenting to me, that will determine the experience I have in that situation or relationship.
Happiness comes from our deep thinking and ability to quietly respond to challenges in an enlightened way and learn something from it. To have the possibility to respond rather than react requires us to be silent observers. To be able to see the self, and what is going on inside, to see and understand what is robbing my happiness. What are the thoughts and feelings that are making me unhappy? It is nothing ‘out there’, there is no one to blame, it is how I connect to and what I think about what is happening out there. It is all about how we allow circumstances and other people to influence us.
There are two aspects to practise and understand that allow the light of happiness to shine through into our everyday lives. The first is to hold an attitude of gratitude. Exercise the inner eye to recognise the value of my own expression and appreciate the opportunities to learn from what may have gone wrong. We cannot change what has gone wrong, and it may impact us greatly, but if I can learn from all of that, I can be grateful for the new understanding. Things come and go, because we are all energy, constantly flowing and expressing ourselves. Life is a game and we need to play with a true heart.
The second aspect is to really understand the rules of the game. One of the most compelling rules is the law of karma. What we attract into our lives has a great deal to do with what we give, shine, vibrate. Things come into our lives that are not always comfortable. They arrive because of the thought patterns and habits we have created before. If we want to change the kinds of circumstances and relationships that we encounter, we have to change the thought patterns. If we change them now, then our tomorrows will be very different. We are sowing seeds of thought. We plant the seeds of our own harvest. I cannot plant seeds in anyone else’s garden – I cannot change anyone else. I am free to choose but I am fully responsible for my choices.
This requires powerful energy. We need to be able to trust eternal truths. I can trust me, the eternal soul. I can trust the inescapable law of karma, but most of all I can trust the eternal Divine Energy, constantly benevolent. Having a connection to the source of peace and love can free us from all the mistakes we have and burdens we are carrying. This love allows me to become stable. The space and time I create for myself in this connection, is the time I begin creating the blueprint for my future. We need a powerful sense of identity, a powerful sense of purpose, and a powerful sense of direction. It is all about me, and all I need is light, understanding, and depth of awareness for my ability to discern in such a way that my future is bright and beautiful.
Moira Lowe is Director of
Brahma Kumaris Argentina.
